Brace for soft collars



Feb. 7, 1928. 1,658,219

. e. K. ANDERSON ET AL BRACE FOR SOFT COLLARS Filed April 2. 1927 BY4/?7/70/7 F060 8, 0% ATT RNEY Patented Feb. 7, 1928.

UNITED STATES 1,658,219 PATENT OFFICE.

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' BBAGE FOR SOFT GOLLARS Application file d April 2,

Our invention relates to an improved stiffening device for supportingand holding soft a tags that it' crumples and wrinkles very easily inthe front and soon loses its value from the dress standpoint. Theappearance of a soft collaris governed largely by the condition of thefrontalcorners of the outer fold and it is desirable that-they bemaintained firm.

It is an object of our invention to provide a stiffening device'for asoft collar simple in design and effective in operation.

vide a stiffening device for bracing the frontal corners of the outerfold of the soft collar.

Still another object is to provide a soft collar stiffening device whichis easily applied to the usual soft collar by inserting into thespacebetween the parallel rows of stitching at the verticaledges of thefrontal corners of the outer fold of the soft collar.

A still further'object is to provide in combination with said stiffeningdevice a means for retaining a tie in place within a soft collar andadditional means for preventing the tie knot from slipping down.

from a reading of the following detailed description taken in connectionwith the accompanying drawing.

We attain these objects and advantages by as means of the constructionsshown in the drawing wherein Figure 1 is a perspective view of a softfold collar showing the stitching at the edges of the frontal cornerswhere the edges are turned over, roviding a clearance for the receptionof t e stiffening devices having a tie retainin loop which are shown indotted lines; showlng also the method of joining the devices together.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the opposing ends of the collar opened outflat and" showing the respective stiffening devices with the hook andbead terminals.

Fi e 3 is an elevational View ofa modification of the stiffeningdevice'shown by itself wherein the tie retaining loop is omitted.

Figure 4 shows another modification similar to that shown in Figures 1and 2, whereat in the cross piece bearing the fastening Another objectof our invention is to pro- Other objects and advantages will appear1927. Serial no. mass.

means is cut off at a point adjacent the tie. retaining loop.

Referring to Figure 1 a soft fold collar A is shown in the; position itoccupies when in use upon the neck. The collar consists of two; folds,the outer fold having the frontal corners, B, the inner fold the slittedends C for joiningthe collar to the neckband of the shirt; The frontaledge portions are turned over and stitched as shown at D whereby anarrow clearance is left at the vertical edges between the parallel rowsof stitching D.

The fastening device shown in conjunction with the collar comprises anarrow brace or stay 1 of a. length not exceeding the length of the edgeE of the frontal corner B and may be made of any suitable material, butpreferably of a material which has a slight resiliency such as thinsheet metal or celluloid. The width of the narrow brace should notexceed the distance between the parallel rows of stitching D. Secured tothe outer extremity of the brace 1 as by soldering or other means-is thewire 2 which is turned to form a loop? and a gripping portion-4 and inone device a hook 5 and in the' complementary device a bead 6. The wireframe should be capable of yielding in use as when the chin is lowereddown and to restore itself when thelchin is raised and at the same timeexerts atension on the stays 1 to retain the outer folds in theircorrect position. The loop 3 is used as a tie retaining means, the'tiebeing threaded through the corresponding loops on the collar before thecollaris laced on the neck. In this way the tie is ept from sliding offthe collar. The ip ing portion 4 is a small spiral to provlde acility inholding the wire 2in the fingers when hooking up the complementaryfastening devices.

The brace member 1 is inserted into the space between the edge stitchingD by makmg an incision 7 at a point adjacent the ed edge of the collar.A as shown in the drawing and inserting the brace therethrough andbetween the plies of fabric. When in place on the frontal edge portionsthe fastening devices may be joined together by the hook and beadattachment provided for that purpose. The fastening means not onlyanaintains the stiffening devices together'but serves as a support forthe tieknot.

The modification shown in Figure 3 eln-v ploys a similar type of bracewith a U- shaped wire arm 10 attached at one of its ends to the upperextremity of the brace ,ed our invention in conjunction with detachablesoft collars it should be understood that the stiffening devices may be.applied to soft collars which come attached to shirts.

All that has been said above in the description of our preferredembodiment is offered by way of illustration and not limitation. We donot wish to be limited to the exact structure of the preferredembodiment shown and described, or to any particular material used inthe construction of parts,

or to the design of parts, but desire protection as against anyvariations in structure which utilize the principle of our invention andfall within the purview of our invention and are within the spirit andscope of the following claims The invention having been set forth, whatis claimed as new and useful is:

1. A stiffening device for soft fold collars comprising a stiffenerelement for each stitched frontal corner of the collar, each stiffenerelement being composed of a stay member adapted to be received withinthe marginal space of the vertical edge of said frontal corner delimitedby said stitching and means on said stifi'ener elements for joining thesame together, said means comprising a wire member joined to saidstiffener at its protruding end, said wire member being curved back onitself to forma tie support, said wire member being entirely outside ofthe plies of the collar.

2. A stiffening device for soft fold collars comprising a brace meansadapted to be used in conjunction with the frontal corners of a softcollar, U-shaped means secured to said brace means and disposed betweenthe folds of a soft collar, one of the legs of said U-shaped meanshaving a friction grip and fastening meansthereon. said friction gripconsisting of a spiral'formed in said U- shaped means.

3. In combination with a soft fold collar,

a stiffening device comprising. a narrow stay member, said stay memberbeing secured to the frontal edge portion of said soft collar, said staymember having one of its ends protruding out of said frontal edgeportion and between the folds of said soft collar, a" wire memberdisposed between the folds of said soft collar, said wire member beingsecured at one end to said protruding end and extending toward the backof the collar, said wire member having a convolution at its inner end,said convolution being adapted to hold a tie inplace on the collar andretain said frontal corner erect, said wire member peing entirelyoutside of the plies of the col- Signed at Fall River in the county ofBristol, State of- Massachusetts, this 25th day of March 1927.

I ARTHUR J. FORD.

Signed at Fall River in the county of Bristol, State of Massachusetts,this twentyfifth day of March 1927.

GEORGE K. ANDERSON.

